The Time Perplexity
by Risknight
Summary: Sometimes something happens that completely breaks you down. So what do you do when you get a chance to change everything?
1. Chapter 1

Penny moved through the crowd slowly, her mind filled with regrets, her heart filled with pain. Ever since Amy had called her earlier she had felt as if her world was slowly collapsing.

A sweet, tender Valentine's kiss aboard a romantic train ride. It sounded perfect for Amy and Sheldon. And it was like a knockout punch to her heart. She gasped softly as her chest tightened even more. She felt like throwing up. How could she have been so stupid? Why hadn't she followed her heart from the very beginning?

Maybe she had been right way back then, and she never had a chance with Sheldon. But she had made a huge mistake settling for Leonard. As friends, they were good together. But as a couple? She was slowly drowning her pain in alcohol, trying to mask her desperation by pretending this boring, insipid relationship was all she needed.

Her life was a living hell, and she had built it with her own two hands.

"Would you like to have your fortune read?"

Penny glanced at the wizened old woman in the shop doorway. She shook her head and took another step.

"Then maybe you would like to talk about your past," the woman said gently.

Penny paused and looked at her again. "What?"

She smiled, making her wrinkled cheeks seem even more creased. "Come, dearie. My name is Solange and I have tea and biscuits. Let us clear your mind."

Penny allowed the woman to draw her into the shop. Solange locked the door before leading Penny further into the shop. She gestured to a small stool and moved to a side table to prepare the tea.

"So, tell me your troubles, dearie. Why do you look so forlorn?"

Penny twisted her hands together. "I guess I'm just feeling low. It's nothing."

Solange carried a tray over and set it on the table beside Penny. She sat on the other stool and watched Penny silently.

Penny picked up her tea cup and sipped it. A sharp pain ricocheted through her. "Peppermint. His favorite," she said, her voice husky with fresh tears. She looked at Solange's knowing eyes and those tears cut a path down her cheeks.

It was as if a dam suddenly burst and she could no longer hold back the emotions she had bottled up and buried so long ago. Slowly the words began to tumble out of her mouth, disjointed at first, but gradually forming coherent sentences.

She didn't know how long she talked, but the tea had grown stone cold and her bottom was numb from sitting long before the words stopped coming.

When dawn began to tinge the skies with pinks and purples she hugged the elderly woman close and thanked her for listening.

Solange patted Penny's cheeks and smiled softly. She placed a small crystal in her hand and closed Penny's fingers over it. "I wish you sweet dreams, dearie. Remember, life occasionally gives us second chances. Especially when we least expect it, and never how we imagine it."

Penny hailed a taxi and headed home. She slipped quietly up to the fourth floor and into her apartment. She stripped off her clothes and collapsed onto the bed. She held the crystal up to the light and stared at the small yellow flaw in the center. She slipped it under her pillow and closed her eyes. Soon she was fast asleep.

* * *

Penny opened her eyes, and wondered if there was any real reason for her to get up. She rolled over onto her back and looked up at the ceiling. Her eyes traced the spider webbing cracks without thought. She had no desire to go to work, or even get dressed. She just wanted to lay on the bed and pretend that…

Penny paused her train of thought and stared at the ceiling. Something was off. She nibbled on her bottom lip as she tried to reason out why she felt so strange. Something was wrong, and it was right on the tip of her tongue. She sat up and looked at the ceiling harder. She felt like she was really close to figuring out what was wrong when the bedroom door opened.

"Thought you were going to your sisters, babe. Glad you changed your mind, cause I am horny as hell!"

Penny's eyes widened with shock. "Kurt?"

* * *

Penny stared at the newspaper in her hands with shock. How was this even possible? Seven years of her life had just up and disappeared. She slumped on the park bench and struggled to keep calm. She had to think. She had to figure out what had happened and how to fix it.

Maybe the guys could help her! After all, they were geniuses! They… they… Penny sucked in a harsh breath. They wouldn't know who the hell she was, she realized. She hadn't met them yet. In fact, she wouldn't meet them for another two months.

She could just imagine Sheldon's reaction if she showed up at his office. "Hey, Moon Pie. You don't know me, but I've been sucked into the past, somehow, and I need you to fix it." Yeah, she'd be locked up faster than his beloved Flash could run a mile.

Penny sighed and stood up. Well, the only thing she could do was go back to Kurt's apartment and relive the past. At least, until she found a way to jump back into the future. She wasn't looking forward to it. She froze as she reached her car. Her eyes widened as an idea suddenly popped into her head. Or was it her only option?

* * *

Sheldon sighed with annoyance as he turned from his white board. He had no appointments today and he had no time for undergrads looking for a referral. "I am busy. Cease knocking on my door immediately!" he said as he opened his office door.

His eyes widened as he looked at the beautiful blonde smiling at him. She was not one of the labradoodles from his lectures. Nor was she a colleague. He had an eidetic memory, but even without it, there was no way he would have overlooked _her_. "Are you lost?" he asked with confusion.

She shook her head. "No, sweetie." His pulse sped up slightly at the endearment. "I'm here to see you."

He swallowed hard. "May I ask why?" She looked so worried and hopeful that he felt the impulsive urge to promise to fix whatever was wrong.

She bit her lower lip lightly. "Because you're the only man I trust."

* * *

**Thank you to devilbk for beta'ing this one for me. I can't remember who suggested it (I really hope you are reading this, whoever you are!) but the idea took off in my head pretty easily. Then I got stuck. Then I got unstuck and then real life intruded and slowed me down. Real life sucks. Hard. Anyway, I hope you all enjoy this little fic.**


	2. Chapter 2

Sheldon stared across the desk at the woman who claimed he was her best friend and tried to think rationally. "So," he said carefully, "according to you, we have been neighbors and friends for seven years. In your time, you went to sleep after a particularly stressful night, and woke up in the past. You have no idea how it happened, nor do you know why it happened."

Penny nodded and sipped the juice box he had given her. "Yep."

"And you expect me to believe you why?"

Penny took a deep breath and looked him in the eye. "You call your maternal grandmother Meemaw and she calls you Moonpie because you're nummy, nummy. You like Mama Italia marinara sauce with your spaghetti. Especially if I add hot dog slices to it. You have me sing you Soft Kitty when you are sick, and you sing it to me when I am. You have a fear of birds and you make me kill any spiders that get into your apartment. You were once treed by a chicken. Shall I go on?"

Sheldon's eyes were huge as he stared at her. _He_ sang his beloved Soft Kitty to _her_? His breathing came in little gasps. "How do you know all of this?" he asked faintly.

She smiled softly at him. "You told me all of it. Over the years, you and I have become very close. Look, I know how incredible this all sounds. I really do understand why you don't believe me, but I have no one else I can turn to, Sheldon. You're the only one I trust. The only man who could possibly help me. Help me, Sheldon Cooper. You're my only hope."

Sheldon sat a bit straighter, her faith in him (and the appeal to his inner Jedi) bolstering his pride some. "Well, in order to figure out how to send you back to your time, we would need to figure out how you got pulled from it in the first place. You said you were stressed. What caused that stress?"

Penny blushed and looked down at her crossed knees. "Okay, here's the thing," she said softly. "I was upset because I had realized I was in a relationship with someone I didn't love, and that the man I _do_ love was already in a relationship with his perfect match."

Sheldon snorted superiorly. "This is why I shun emotional attachments. They are detrimental to one's mental faculties. Too much energy is expended in the pursuit of physical gratification. I have more important goals in life."

Penny looked away, her cheeks turning pale. "Yeah, well. Sometimes we just don't have a choice in how we feel. Sometimes, our hearts make the choice all on their own, no matter what kind of pain it causes."

Sheldon clenched his hands together to overcome the urge to comfort her. He did not know this woman, whatever their future relationship would be, yet he was dismayed by her distress. He did not like seeing her so unhappy.

Maybe a distraction would stop her sorrow? "You said we are neighbors," he said carefully. "I suggest we start there. Apartment 4B is currently empty. I will call the landlord now, and arrange for you to move in. I will also take the rest of the day off work, and help you get settled. Then we can go over your memories and decide how to proceed."

Penny smiled gently at him and her shoulders relaxed slightly. "Thank you for believing me," she murmured.

"I have not said I do," he warned. "I have not made up my mind whether you are really who you say, or if you are deluded."

"I'm not crazy," Penny whispered. "My mother had me tested."

"Excuse me?" he asked in a stunned voice.

She smiled wistfully as she stood up. "It's something I've heard you say a few times."

Sheldon stood and reached for his messenger bag and jacket. "I will accompany you to your new apartment."

Penny paused by the office door. She looked at him pleadingly. "Sheldon, I know you hate keeping secrets, but Leonard, Howard and Raj…"

"They would not understand," he finished for her. "I cannot lie, Penny."

"I know, sweetie," she said quickly. "I'm not going to ask you to, either. But I'd like it if I was the one who told them. I don't want to put you on the spot, but there's some things I know that it might be better if I keep to myself."

Sheldon considered that for a moment. "You mean there are things you know about the future that should remain unsaid."

"Exactly," she said quietly.

"Very well," he said. "I will agree to that. Shall we get going?"

Penny nodded and opened the door. She knew the next couple of days were going to be rough, but she had to find a way to get back to her own timeline. She couldn't spend the next seven years watching Sheldon meet and fall for Amy all over again.


	3. Chapter 3

"Maybe he got sick and took a cab home," Raj said as the three men walked into the building.

Leonard rolled his eyes. "Yeah. Sheldon Cooper, germaphobe, maniac, pain-in-my-ass, decided NOT to annoy me with whatever new disease he's convinced he has, and took a dirty, smelly cab home."

Howard snorted loudly. "When you put it like that…"

"I don't see how you live with him," Raj said with a shake of his head. "He's nuts."

"I almost moved a couple of times," Leonard admitted, "but living with Sheldon has its benefits. All those grad students who throw themselves at him, and he ignores them? I'm in a prime position to offer them a shoulder to cry on," Leonard grinned. "And, the apartment is perfect. It's cheap when you split the rent, and in a great location. Besides, he's not _always_ a pain. Sometimes we have fun."

Howard and Raj laughed as they followed Leonard up the stairs. They were just reaching the third floor when Penny came bouncing down the stairs. All three men froze, jaws unhinged, as she stopped abruptly on the last step.

"Um, hi," she said softly.

Leonard smiled widely. "Hi! I'm 4A and I live in Leonard." Color flooded his cheeks as Howard and Raj snickered. "I mean…"

"You're Leonard and you live in 4A," she said calmly. "Sheldon's roommate."

Leonard was certain that fate loved him. After all, it had just dropped the most beautiful woman he had ever seen right on his doorstep. Sort of. "You know Sheldon? You must be a grad student," he smiled. "Where you here to see Sheldon? Whatever he did, I apologize. He's a bit opinionated, I know."

Penny's smile faded, and she crossed her arms over her chest. "Sheldon is a sweet guy who can be a bit blunt, but he doesn't do it out of meanness. He's honest and loyal. Both are good qualities."

Before Leonard could reply, Sheldon came around the corner. He was looking at Penny with something close to awe. Penny blushed slightly and looked down. Sheldon looked at his friends before turning back to Penny and clearing his throat. "I would like to accompany you on your shopping excursion. Besides furniture you also need cleaning supplies and some groceries."

Penny smiled up at him. "Of course, sweetie. You know a whole lot more about cleaning than I do, and I'm going to need help finding the right stuff, anyway."

Sheldon preened slightly and nodded. "Of course. Shall we?" Penny headed down the stairs with Sheldon right behind her.

Leonard, Howard and Raj watched with stunned expressions as Penny and Sheldon walked down the stairs and out of sight.

Sheldon walked beside Penny to her car, deep in thought. When he got into the passenger side and buckled up he turned to her. "Penny? I am given to understand that when someone defends you, they should be thanked. Thank you for speaking up for me," he said quietly.

Penny smiled at him as she started the car. "I was just being honest. You really are the most loyal friend I have ever had. You've never lied to me, and you always helped me. It's one of the reasons why you are so important to me."

Warmth washed over him at her praise and he smiled slightly. No one, other than family, had ever told him he was important to them. He couldn't help wondering why else he was important to her. He cleared his throat nervously. "I suggest we purchase furniture first, and have it delivered at a later date. Then groceries and other supplies."

Penny nodded as she merged into traffic. "Sounds like a plan to me."

* * *

**As some of you have pointed out, Penny is in a prime position to rewrite history and change not only her future, but the guy's future as well. However, if you recall, Penny also believes Sheldon and Amy are perfect for one another. She loves Sheldon and wants him to be happy. Therefore, she's not going to try and stop Sheldon from meeting Amy. Nor can she stand by and watch it happen all over again. She just wants to go back to her own time.  
**


	4. Chapter 4

Penny had been shopping with Sheldon several times and over the years they had reached an understanding. Sheldon didn't comment on her purchases and she didn't leave him in the parking lot. This Sheldon hadn't learned that little rule yet.

"Penny, I notice you are buying green apple shampoo in a 24 oz bottle."

She took a moment to unclench her teeth. "Yes. Yes, I am."

Sheldon looked at her quizzically. "Do you realize that for an additional 78 cents, you could purchase the 64 oz bottle?"

"Yes, I do," she repeated. "But I don't _want_ the large bottle. It doesn't fit the shower caddy I have."

"But if you purchased the larger bottle, you could simply refill the smaller bottle as necessary, and save approximately $3.24 a month. That is a savings of $288 a year."

Penny turned to yell at him, but stopped when she saw his expression. His expression was open and innocent and she knew immediately he was simply trying to be helpful. How often in her past had he done this exact thing? And she always felt guilty when she had gotten upset with him, realizing _after_ she yelled that he wasn't being critical, he was simply being Sheldon.

Penny nodded finally. "You know what? You're right." She put back the smaller bottle and grabbed the economy size. She was rewarded by a cheerful smile from her lanky friend. Worth it, she thought to herself as they left the health and beauty aisle.

* * *

The moment he entered his apartment, Sheldon found himself in the middle of an interrogation.

"Who is she?" Leonard demanded.

"How did you meet her?" Raj asked.

"How long you been hitting that?" Howard asked with a salacious wink.

Sheldon pushed past his friends and took his purchases into the kitchen. "Her name is Penny. We met when she approached me at my office. And, Howard, I would never hit a woman. Any man who would, is not a man at all," he said firmly.

Howard rolled his eyes. "I didn't mean that literally! I mean how long have you been bumping uglies? Getting it on? Doing the horizontal bop?" At Sheldon's blank look, Howard tried bluntness. "Having sex?"

Sheldon's expression became thunderous. Howard's crude question made his temper rise. "Penny is my... friend. We are not having coitus. Get your mind out of the gutter."

"So, she's single?" Leonard asked eagerly.

Sheldon nodded. "Yes. She is single and now living in 4B."

Howard, Raj and Leonard looked at each other for a second. Suddenly they burst into action, racing for the door. All three men scrambled to be the one out the door first. Being slightly larger than the other two, and a little more agile, Raj won, stumbling out the door and across the hall a second before Leonard.

He knocked eagerly with one hand while searching his pockets for a pen and piece of paper with the other. By the time Penny opened the door, Howard and Leonard were beside him, all three jockeying for position.

Penny looked over their heads at Sheldon standing by the desk, watching her. She could see confusion in his eyes, and wondered what had him worried. She looked back at the others who were all smiling at her in what they thought were flirty ways.

"Hi," she said calmly.

Leonard secretly pinched the other two to give him the advantage. "Hi, again. I just wanted to welcome you to the building, and say that if you need anything, I'm just across the hall."

Penny smiled slightly. "Thanks, guys. I'm sure we'll bump into each other. Especially since Sheldon and I will likely be spending a lot of time together."

"You and Sheldon?" Howard asked with surprise. "Really?"

Penny smiled at Sheldon over their heads. "Sure. He's a great guy. I'm very lucky to count him as my friend." She looked back at Leonard, desperate to cut off any crush he might be developing. "Sheldon's the whole reason I'm here. Well, I need to unfinished packing. Bye."

Penny shut the door and the three drifted back into 4A. Howard closed the door behind them and the trio slumped down on the couch. "Great," Leonard whined. "I finally meet the girl of my dreams, and she's only got eyes for _Sheldon._"

Sheldon ignored the insult and walked back to his bedroom. He closed his door and sat on the edge of his bed. He had been concerned when his friends had raced across the hall. That confused him. He had only known Penny for 5 hours and 11 minutes, and yet, the urge to protect her was already deeply imbedded. Possibly because of the things she had told him about their future relationship. It did seem as though they were good friends from the things she knew about him, and how easily she accepted his so-called quirks.

"_Sheldon's the whole reason I'm here."_

He wondered why that statement felt prophetic.


	5. Chapter 5

At precisely 7pm Sheldon knocked on Penny's door. He could feel Leonard staring through the peephole at him. As soon as he had finished knocking and calling her name for the third time the door opened and Penny smiled up at him happily. For him, it was the little things like that that convinced him more and more that she was telling the truth. Only his Meemaw would wait patiently for him to finish his routine. His own sister took a lot of pleasure in interrupting him.

"You're just in time," Penny said, stepping back. "The spaghetti is done and I was setting the drinks out on the table."

Sheldon stepped inside and closed the door behind him. He followed Penny across the room and sat down at the brand new table, placing a folder beside him. He watched the enigmatic blonde serve up two plates of spaghetti and carry them to the table.

Penny sat down and looked at the folder curiously. "What's that?"

"I have compiled a list of time travel methods. We can go over them after we eat, and possibly narrow down the method by which you find yourself here. If we can figure out the how, we stand a good chance of discovering the why and our odds of reversing the situation increase."

She frowned slightly. "But I don't know the how. Honestly, sweetie, I went to sleep like I always do, and woke up seven years in the past."

Sheldon nodded as he chewed and swallowed. "Just because you do not recognize the trigger does not mean the trigger does not exist."

"Okay, I can understand that. Do you really think one of these may be what brought me here?"

"I doubt it," he admitted. "But it is a start. And the chances of one of these seeming familiar to you, maybe jarring your memory, is good enough for us to pursue it."

They ate in silence for a couple of minutes before he worked up the nerve to ask her something that was preying on his mind. "Penny?"

She looked up at him. "Yes, sweetie?"

"I am curious about something." He set his fork down and wiped his mouth. "You told Leonard I was the reason you were here. You told me earlier that you were upset because you were in a relationship with someone you liked, but didn't love. That you loved someone who was already in a loving relationship with their perfect match. You and I are very close, in your timeline. Am I the man you are in a relationship with? Is that why you know so much about me? Did I make you unhappy?"

Penny gasped and paled. She looked down at her plate and twisted her napkin in her hands. "Sheldon, you've always been my best friend. We've never been more than that," she answered. "I was dating Leonard," she finished with a whisper.

Sheldon watched her closely, her words tumbling around his mind like icosahedron dice. He was certain there was something important in what she was saying, but he was equally sure there was something important in what she _wasn't_ saying. He wished he were better versed in reading people. He also wished he understood why her dating Leonard seemed so distasteful.

Penny took a deep breath and picked up her fork again. "How about we finish our meal so we can go over that folder?" she asked with a weak smile.

Sheldon studied the tightness around her eyes and slowly picked up his own utensil. "Very well. But I reserve the right to revisit this conversation at another time."

Penny nodded with relief. "Okay, sweetie. How's the spaghetti?"

"Better than my mother's," he admitted with a smile. "But please do not tell her I said that."

Penny laughed, relaxing. "I promise. Again."

Sheldon smiled and resumed eating, eager to get started on the file he compiled.


	6. Chapter 6

Penny rubbed her temples as she tried to make sense of what Sheldon was saying. "Okay," she said hesitantly. "So, there are three theories for timelines. One is like an actual line, straightforward and unchanging. The second is more like a forking road. It branches off because of the time travel. The third is more like a cluster of lines. Each timeline is actually just an alternate reality. How'm I doing so far?"

He smiled at her slightly. "Not bad. Now, seeing as how you have already changed your past by meeting me much sooner than you did originally, we can rule out the first theory. The difficulty facing us is determining whether or not this is an alternative universe, or whether you are in your true timeline and are changing it."

Penny looked at him worriedly. "If I'm changing things, will that change my life seven years from now?" Her eyes watered and her heart thudded in her chest. "What if these changes mean you and I are no longer friends then? What if I've screwed everything up?"

Sheldon fidgeted nervously, torn between trying to comfort her with empty promises and running back to the safety of his apartment. "I… I do not know," he finally said.

She grabbed some paper towels since she had no idea where her tissue box was. "Sorry," she whispered. "I know you hate it when I get emotional."

Sheldon watched her carefully. He cleared his throat warily and asked the question that worried him the most. "Penny, you have convinced me that you and I are, in the future, very close. I have, in a very short amount of time, come to trust you to a certain extent. I have been wondering why you come to this particular point in the past. You told my friends I was the reason you were here. Why am I the reason?"

Penny paled and looked away. "Sheldon, I don't know how I got here, or why. I just meant that you are the reason I am here in the building," she hedged. She twisted the paper towels in her hands tightly before looking back up at him. "So, tell me some of these time travel methods."

Sheldon stared at her for a moment before allowing her to change the topic. "Very well. Since you traveled while asleep in your apartment, I think we can rule out Time Holes and Time Portals. We can also eliminate chairs, treadmills, cars, hot tubs, and, unfortunately, the TARDIS."

"So, what does that leave us with?" Penny asked.

"Not much," he admitted. "Our most likely options are mental abilities."

Penny slumped. "Great. I'm not only stupid, but my mind is warped, too."

Sheldon frowned at her. "Who has said you were stupid?"

Penny grimaced with embarrassment. "Leonard, Howard, Raj, my parents, my sister, my boss, every boyfriend I ever had," Penny sighed wearily. "You."

Sheldon stared at her for a long time. This stranger (and that's what she really was, to be honest) was turning his entire worldview upside down. "Are we correct?" he asked calmly.

Penny looked up at him with surprise. "What?"

Sheldon set aside the folder and looked at her fully. "Are we correct? Are you stupid?"

Anger flared inside her and she glared at him. "No! Maybe I'm not _you _smart, but I'm not a moron, either!"

Sheldon nodded slightly. It was pleasant to see something besides fear and pain in her eyes. "Then ignore those remarks," he said confidently. "I have spent my entire life surrounded by people who insulted me. Called me names. Even abused my body because they could not comprehend who I am. Do not let the jealousy or ignorance of others make you doubt who you are."

Her eyes widened as she looked at him. In her head a switch flipped on, or maybe one shut off, she wasn't sure. What she _did_ know was that he was right. She had let the opinions and expectations of others determine how she behaved. In the future, her friends expected a blonde monkey, so she gave them one. But she had knowledge. Maybe it was different from theirs, but it was still knowledge.

Penny smiled slowly, and Sheldon blinked at the brightness of it. It was the same look his Meemaw had whenever he visited. The same look his Mom had when she sang hymns. The look he had when he proved a theory. It was a look of pure joy.

"Thank you," she said sincerely.

Sheldon swallowed hard and nodded. His watched beeped and he looked at the time with relief. "I must go," he said quickly. "It is my bedtime."

Penny nodded and stood up as he did. She picked up the file and held it to her chest. "Can I keep this and read it over?"

Sheldon nodded quickly. "Of course. If it is acceptable to you, I will come over when I return from work tomorrow afternoon."

Penny walked him to the door. "Great. Thanks, Moon Pie."

He looked at her sternly. "Penny, I do not know what it is like in your time but in this time, only my Meemaw..."

"Can call you Moon Pie," she finished for him. "You'll learn pretty quick, Sheldon, that that has never stopped me before and it's not likely to stop me now. Goodnight."

He huffed with annoyance and walked across the hall to his own apartment. Really, the woman was infuriating at times. However, she had presented him with a mystery he could not resist.


	7. Chapter 7

Sheldon briefly considered taking the bus home. He was certain that the threat of germs and the close proximity of strangers would be preferable to the interrogation he was sure to endure again. From the moment he woke up, until they arrived at work, Leonard had questioned him closely about Penny. Questions he had no answers to, like where was she from, and what was her last name.

Four times his work had been interrupted by Howard or Raj with the same questions, although Howard's queries were laced with several innuendos. Lunch had been a disaster. Apparently word had gotten around that he had been visited by a beautiful blonde and Kripke had swooped in while he was trying to eat his beefaroni to tease him. Winkle had suggested Penny was a paid escort. All in all, a disastrous day.

He walked to the parking lot with weary steps. He was about to turn down the path toward Leonard's parking spot when he heard his name being called. He was surprised to see Penny waving a few spots down. He was even more surprised by the way his tense shoulders relaxed at the sight of her.

"Hello, Penny," he said a he walked over. "Why are you here today?"

She looked around his body wryly, and he turned to find Howard, Raj and Leonard hurrying over. "I want to go over something with you before you get home. Will you ride with me?"

"Hey!" Leonard said eagerly as he got closer. "This is a surprise."

"See a Penny, pick her up, all…"

Penny cut Howard off with a growl. "If you value your testicles, you'll never hit on me again. I will end the Wolowitz lineage right here, right now. I've castrated bulls. A pig is even easier."

Howard paled and took a step back. He swallowed hard and nodded. "Okay."

Raj gave her a tentative wave and her expression softened. Sheldon wasn't sure he liked that look.

"Hey, sweetie. Can't talk to me, huh?" she asked. Raj shook his head and she reached out to pat his arm. Penny turned back to Sheldon. "So? How about that ride?"

Sheldon opened the passenger door and placed his messenger bag in the back seat. "Thank you, Penny. I would like that."

She gave the other three a smile and opened her own door. "Halo night, right? I'll see you guys at 7." Then she got inside and started the car.

They watched her drive off, Sheldon beside her, with various emotions. Leonard felt frustrated at his lack of progress. Howard was a bit intimidated by the fierceness of her warning. Raj was cautiously hopeful, because she had not laughed at him. All three thought it was unfair that she seemed to prefer the company of their neurotic friend over theirs.

"Why him?" Leonard whined as they trudged back to their own vehicles.

"Maybe she feels sorry for him?" Raj suggested.

Howard snorted. "A woman who looks like that could have any guy she wanted."

"So why would she want Sheldon, of all people," Leonard asked.

"Dude, he attracts women all the time. How many grad students has he had fixate on him?" Raj asked with a look of resignation. "The man could have a dozen women if he only snapped his fingers, and he never even notices them."

"He's noticing Penny," Howard said, straddling his Vespa. "Maybe Pinocchio is finally becoming a real boy."

Leonard's shoulders drooped and he walked off. "It's not fair!"

Raj shrugged as he headed to his car. He was just glad she hadn't made fun of him.


	8. Chapter 8

**Today was a cold, dreary day with two sick kids who spent most of it asleep on the couch. Don't expect this many updates tomorrow. ;)**

* * *

Sheldon looked at Penny curiously. "What do you want to speak to me about?"

"I know I said I would talk to the guys and explain about when I am from, but after reading over the file you gave me, I don't think that's such a good idea. Everything I do that deviates from my past changes the future. I'm worried that if I tell them what has happened, they will want to know all about their futures. I'll want to help them avoid the mistakes they make. I'll end up changing who they become."

Sheldon considered what she said carefully. After a few minutes he looked out the side window, certain he didn't want to see her expression when he asked his question. "Are you worried that anything you say will destroy your chances of a relationship with Leonard?"

Penny's voice was soft, and strained. "I am never going to have that relationship again. I can't. It was destroying us both. Leonard and I are better off as friends because I can never love him the way he wants."

Sheldon relaxed slightly, relief flowing through him. He knew Leonard. He didn't know Penny very well (yet) but she reminded him of his Meemaw. He could not imagine his Meemaw happy with someone with the same personality as Leonard. Leonard was too emotionally needy, and too desperate for approval and acclaim.

On the heels of that understanding came a new dilemma. "Penny, if you do not enter into a relationship with Leonard, you are changing the future. In essence, you will be changing who Leonard becomes."

Tears sprang to her eyes. "That may not be a bad thing," she whispered. "Maybe if Leonard and I had never had that first date, he wouldn't have…" Penny clamped her lips together when she realized what she was about to reveal. She couldn't tell Sheldon about the Arctic trip and the way his friends betrayed him. He'd be devastated! She would ruin his friendships! What if he blamed her?

But… What if it never happened now? What if she could prevent it?

Suddenly the possibilities overflowed her mind. She could do more than protect Sheldon. She could actually help him! Maybe this was why she was really here! With her knowledge of the future, she could stop the guys from betraying him! She could convince Sheldon to take other people. People who wouldn't turn on him!

Sheldon watched the wide variety of expressions cross Penny's face. She was having an epiphany, and he suspected that it was about the future and her ability to re-direct it. He couldn't help wondering what it was she was remembering.

Sheldon unbuckled his seatbelt and turned toward her. He licked his lips nervously and cleared his throat. "Penny, I do not know what it is you are contemplating, but you were correct the first time. You should not change the future any more than you can help. Everything I have ever read or watched about time travel warns us that often the changes you make now will not be beneficial later. You could very well end up destroying the people you love."

She knew he was right. She knew deep down that she was risking everything. But the thought of letting them hurt him again was too painful! The tears in the corners of her eyes spilled down her cheeks. "I have to stop it!" she cried. "It ruined you! What they did…you've never been the same since!" Penny clapped a hand over her mouth, her eyes so wide, they dominated her face.

Sheldon held his breath as he stared at her. Who ruined him? Why? He opened his mouth to ask and Penny grabbed the door handle and sprang out of the car. By the time he got out on the other side, she was in the building, running for the stairs. He quickly grabbed her purse and keys, locked the doors, and hurried after her.

From the corner of his eyes, he saw Leonard pull up to the building. He rushed up the stairs, vaguely aware of his friends hurrying after him. He reached the fourth floor, Penny was leaning against her door, sobbing, her head buried in her hands.

Sheldon froze. Her distress had an unexpected effect on him. He had a strong urge to wrap his arms around the crying woman and comfort her. Leonard, Howard and Raj appeared on the stairwell behind him, and he shook himself out of his surprise. Slowly he approached Penny and tentatively slid an arm around her shoulders.

"There, there," he mumbled. "Sheldon's here."


	9. Chapter 9

**Things are so hectic here, and at the moment, everyone is in bed except me. (Yippee! Quiet time!) I wish I had time to answer every review personally, and I hope no one is offended that I can't. I work 13 out of every 14 days. Luckily 2 days a week I'm at the video store and it's pretty easy. So, to answer a few all at once, remember, Penny's only been in the past two days. She's not trying to win Sheldon. She hasn't even considered that possibility. She's scared, tired and freaked out for the most part. She is incapable of being rational because she feels like her entire world is upside down.**

* * *

Penny accepted the cup of tea from Sheldon and looked at the others warily. They were clustered around the kitchen island watching her and whispering to one another. Sheldon sat down in his spot beside her and tentatively patted her free hand.

Penny sighed and set the tea on the table. She gripped his hand quickly, ignoring the way he tensed up. She needed that connection, regardless of his phobias. She was about to get either some much-needed support, or be carted off to the nearest asylum.

"Originally I met you guys nine weeks from now," she began. "Over the next seven years we became close. I consider you four, along with two women who eventually join our group, my closest friends." She could see the disbelief and outright alarm on their faces and it made her more determined to convince them.

"Howard, you lost your virginity to your cousin in a Corolla. You have two light sabers on the wall over your bed. Your WoW character is Wolowizard and your tiger thingie is named Buttons." She turned to Raj without waiting for a reply.

"You were bullied by Lalita Gupta as a child. You have an Uhura costume in the back of your closet. You and Howard once had a threesome at Comic-Con." She looked at Leonard sadly.

"You have never had a birthday party, you used to get stuffed into your cello case in high school, your favorite hobbit is Frodo, and your parents pushed you to be a scientist, although you wanted to be a rapper."

All three men stared at her with a fearful shock. Penny took a moment to center herself. "Two days ago I, umm, accidentally time traveled into the past. I don't know how, and I don't know how to reverse it. Sheldon has been trying to help me."

Sheldon looked up from their clasped hands, and cleared his throat. "We have eliminated many of the well-known methods, as well as some of the lesser known ones. We are left with the possibility that Penny somehow 'willed' herself here while her emotions were under extreme distress."

Leonard looked from Penny to Sheldon skeptically. "You don't really expect us to believe this, right? It's one of your bazingas."

Howard cleared his throat nervously. "I just put those light sabers up last night."

"You turn them on and off with a remote," Penny whispered.

Howard's skin turned even paler. "I don't. Not yet. I was working on an old garage door opener this morning to do just that, but I'm not finished."

Leonard took off his glasses and polished them nervously. "I'm not falling for it. This is some sort of elaborate joke."

"Let me ask you a question," Penny said softly. "When we met, did you, or did you not think we would have smart, beautiful children together?"

Leonard's cheeks turned a bright pink and he dropped his glasses. "I never said that to anyone! I …I …mean, I thought it. But I never actually _said_ it!"

Raj leaned toward Howard to whisper in his ear and Penny smiled sadly. "I forgot you used to do that," she mumbled. Everyone looked at her curiously and she sighed. "A few months ago you had an epiphany and now you are no longer mute." Penny gripped Sheldon's hand tighter. "I mean, in my time."

Raj walked over and sat down beside Penny. He swallowed hard a couple of times and opened his mouth. A tiny squeak emerged and Penny reached up to pat his cheek fondly.

"It's okay, sweetie. You're not ready yet. But you will be one day," she said gently.

Howard sat down on the arm of the couch beside Raj. "What can we do?"

Penny looked at Sheldon briefly before releasing his hand. Sheldon was surprised by the bereft feeling that washed over him. "Help me figure out how to reverse this," Penny said. "I want to go home."

Sheldon closed his eyes for a second against the discomfort he felt at her words. He had known this woman for only two days. Why did he feel as if he was losing something important?


	10. Chapter 10

"Okay," Howard said as he grabbed a pen and notepad and got comfortable on the floor in front of the coffee table. "First thing to do is to write down everything that led up to your mishap."

Penny clasped her hands between her knees and took a deep breath. "Okay. There's a few things I _don't_ want to talk about. Things that I am afraid to say. I can't tell you everything, because I risk telling you _everything_. Things that you shouldn't know."

Everyone nodded except Leonard. He leaned forward a bit, trying not to look too eager. "Are we together?"

Penny looked at him briefly. "I don't want to talk about anything except sending me back. I was trying to avoid changing the future too much, but I know now that that isn't possible. Just by being here, I changed everything. What I know of the future isn't likely to actually _be _the future now."

"Then how could it hurt to tell us what we were doing in your future?" Leonard asked stubbornly.

"Because it could change who we become," Sheldon said sternly. "Whatever our future holds, whoever we are to become, Penny's knowledge would alter that. And maybe not for the better."

"You can't possibly know that," Leonard argued.

Howard shrugged. "No, but the odds are not in our favor. Think about all the movies and books and comics we've read. When have you ever read a time travel story that ended well?"

"This is real life," Leonard argued, "not a story by H.G. Wells!"

"Which is exactly why we can't ask Penny about our future!" Sheldon said a bit more forcefully.

Raj watched Penny stand and walk out of the apartment wearily. He looked at his three friends, who continued to argue about the dangers of changing the future. He stood and followed after Penny, seeing her disappear around the corner of the stairwell leading up to the roof. He hurried after her, catching up as she walked out into the night air.

Penny sighed and looked up, hoping to find a few stars. "I was dating Leonard," she said softly.

Raj slowly moved a little closer to her.

"Sheldon was dating a woman named Amy," she continued, her voice pained and whispery. "I knew better. I don't love Leonard. Not like he wants me to. And he doesn't love me. He loves the envy he gets from others. He loves the sex. I'm his trophy."

She looked over at Raj sadly. "Don't get me wrong, I do care about Leonard, and I know he does care about me, but we're a convenience more than a real couple. Sheldon and Amy…they're the perfect couple. She's smart, kind of pretty, and adores him. He's changed so much because of Amy. He must love her," Penny sighed as she turned back to the too-smoggy sky. "He went on a romantic train ride with her for Valentine's Day. He kissed her. Amy said it was incredible."

Raj was stunned. Even someone as socially inept as he was could see the regret and heartbreak in her eyes.

"I couldn't take it," she sobbed softly. "It suddenly hit me. I'd lost. I waited too long. I was so sure that eventually they would break up. That Amy would push too hard and he would end the relationship. I thought that maybe then he..."

Penny shook her head slowly. "I'm such a fucking mess," she whispered. "In love with my best friend, hoping that his girlfriend breaks his heart. Who does that? What kind of horrible person am I?"

Raj tentatively placed an arm around Penny's shoulders and she curled into him, crying softly against his chest.

Neither of them noticed the roof door closing that last inch, and a shell-shocked Sheldon heading back down the stairs.


	11. Chapter 11

Penny paused outside Sheldon's door and hugged Raj tightly. "Thanks for listening," she whispered.

Raj hugged her back, wishing there was some way for him to tell her that she wasn't a horrible person. She was just a person. A person in love with her best friend, stuck in a situation beyond her control.

Penny pulled away and took a deep breath. She opened Sheldon's door and stepped into the apartment. Howard and Leonard were surrounded by books and comics alternately reading and scanning their laptops. Penny looked at the notes they had written down, but none of it made much sense to her.

Sheldon was at his desk watching a NOVA video with Carl Sagan who was apparently discussing the possibilities of time travel when she sat down beside him and began watching. He glanced at her from the corner of his eye, hoping she didn't know he was watching her. He was trying his best to focus on the program, but Penny's confession kept playing over and over in his mind.

He glanced at her again, noting the faint lines of tension around her eyes. This woman, this incredibly beautiful woman, who seemed to exist solely for the purpose of bringing chaos into the world, loved him? A guy who was apparently already in a relationship with someone else? Penny had said this Amy person was his perfect match, and that he cared a great deal for her. How could that be? He had never had any interest in relationships. He had no intention of dating. His time and energy was too precious to waste on such mindless endeavors. Why would he bother with trivial dating when there were mysteries of the universe to unravel?

Yet.

He couldn't deny the interest he had in Penny. There was something about her that felt (he cringed as the word burrowed into his mind) necessary. Like there had been a hole in his life he did not know existed until she arrived to fill it. Was this Amy person another hole he did not know existed?

Sheldon sighed to himself. This entire situation was exhausting. The sooner he returned Penny to her proper time, the sooner his life resumed its normal, unemotional, structured routine.

* * *

Penny stifled a yawn and looked across the room at the guys. Her heart hurt as she thought about what each one of them meant to her. Howard, who had settled down and become a loving husband and supportive friend. She had to admit that sometimes she was a bit jealous of their marriage. Then there was Raj. Sensitive, lovable, and compassionate. She always knew that no matter what happened, he would always care about her.

Next was Leonard. She loved him. She truly did. But she wasn't _in_ love with him. She used to really enjoy being with him. They had a lot of fun together. Or rather, they used to until they got lost in the mediocre sex and jealousy. They had been great friends. They were terrible lovers.

And then there was Sheldon. She sighed softly to herself. There was no denying what he meant to her. He was her best friend. Her secret love. He was everything most important to her. And he was never going to be hers.

Penny moved across the room and curled up in the armchair. She laid her head against the back of the chair and thought back to her last night in her own time. She thought about the peppermint tea she drank. She thought about all the tears she shed. She thought about the pain that she had felt that night. Still felt, if she was honest.

Penny faced the possibility that this would always be how she felt. Could she do that? Could she live with this for the rest of her life? She stifled a sob as she was struck by the realization that no matter what time she was in, she was always going to want Sheldon, be jealous of Amy, and possibly trudge along with her relationship with Leonard.

She watched as Raj, Howard, and Leonard clustered around Sheldon and his white board near the kitchen counter. She silently stood and left the apartment. She walked into her apartment and looked at the sparsely furnished living room. She wandered into the bedroom and sat down on the bed. She cradled her head in her hands and sobbed softly.

After a few minutes she reached for a tissue. A small thud drew her eyes to the small crystal that had fallen onto the floor by her foot. She reached for it and held it up to the light. The flaw in the center seemed to glow lightly.

Penny brought it closer to her face, staring intently at that flaw. It seemed to pulse inside the prism. She watched it for several seconds before she realized it was pulsing in time with her heartbeat. Penny stood, as if in a dream. Suddenly she knew exactly what she had to do.


	12. Chapter 12

Penny headed down the stairs as she pulled on her coat. Her mind was whirling like a centrifuge (damn! She spent waaaay too much time with scientists!) as she tried to remember where exactly she had run into that psychic. She just knew that the secret to getting back to her own time was that woman!

"Penny?"

She closed her eyes wearily as Leonard raced toward her. She turned to face him, carefully wiping all emotion from her face. "Yes?"

"Where are you going?" he asked with a slight wheeze. He pushed his glasses back up the bridge of his nose. "We haven't finished cataloging the night before you time traveled."

Penny sighed softly. "I know. But I need to go do something."

Leonard edged closer, giving her that pitiful puppy look he thought made him endearing. "Want some company?"

Penny sighed and leaned against the stairwell wall. "Leonard, look, I know what you are thinking. I wish there was an easier way to do this, but you and me…" Penny waved her hand between the both of them, "this would never work."

Leonard looked at her shrewdly. "How do you know? Unless we have dated already!"

"Because we did," Penny admitted. "We dated, more than once." Leonard's expression became triumphant. It was more than Penny could stand.

"It was horrible," she cried. "We were both so miserable, Leonard! You were always so jealous, and you smothered me. I was so unhappy I was drinking myself into an early grave. We were destroying each other!"

Leonard paled and shook his head. "How can that be? You're perfect! I would never want to make you miserable!"

"I'm not perfect," Penny argued. "That's the problem. You've never seen me. Not the real me, Leonard. You saw a pretty girl and immediately started planning smart, cute babies."

"Beautiful," he corrected in a small voice.

"Imaginary!" Penny yelled. "You want to know me? I don't want kids. I don't want to marry you. I don't want to give up all my friends because you don't have anything in common with them. I don't want to spend my nights drunk off my ass because we suck as a couple! We were good friends, Leonard. But as a couple we were destructive." Penny sobbed softly. "We used to have fun, Leonard! We used to joke and have movie nights, and it was great. All of us hanging out, annoying each other, supporting each other, all gone! Because you wanted a hot girlfriend and I wanted a good guy. But we don't fit. You don't trust me, and I'm tired of giving up my dreams to keep you happy."

"Sheldon is with Amy, and they are perfect for each other," she spit out angrily. "Howard and Bernadette have this amazing marriage. They are so much in love and they are so happy! Raj has finally overcome his mutism. He is sweet, and funny and probably the only guy I know who accepts all of us as we are." Penny dashed away the tears threatening to spill down her face. "You want to know our future? That's it! Our friends are happy and we're slowly killing each other! _That's_ our future!"

Penny slapped a hand over her mouth, her eyes wide and scared. She watched Leonard's skin turn a sickly green color. Movement on the next landing drew her eyes. Raj, Howard and Sheldon were watching her with shock.

Penny closed her eyes and her head thumped against the wall. "Shit," she whispered. She drew in a deep, shaky breath. "Wow. I am such a fuck up."

Sheldon walked down a couple of steps. "Penny…"

She held out a hand and shook her head. "Don't. Just… don't. I should never have come here. I should have never tried to fix anything. I can't even fix me! What the hell makes me think I can fix anything else? I have done nothing but screw up all my life," she sobbed. "Every problem our group has ever had is because of me! And I can't do that again! I can't be the reason you and Leonard argue so much. I can't be the reason Leonard is always so mean and unhappy. I can't be the reason everything falls apart and we all barely tolerate each other anymore!"

It only took her 15 seconds to run from the building.


	13. Chapter 13

Penny ran an agitated hand through her hair and scanned Ville Street. This was her third day trying to find that blasted psychic. She had spent the last two nights at a cheap, utterly disgusting hotel. She was scared to go back to the apartment. She just knew that if she did, the boys would be waiting. She couldn't see them. She couldn't talk to them. She never should have sought out Sheldon in the first place.

She sighed and plopped down on a bench next to a mailbox. She looked at the list in her notebook with quickly fading hope. She had checked out most of the streets where she was liable to find the psychic, and so far nothing. Maybe the woman hadn't opened a shop in Pasadena yet.

Someone sat down beside her and she looked up. Penny sucked in a harsh breath as Sheldon watched her warily. "How did you find me?" she asked.

"Penny, you, of all people, should know that I am a genius. When you understand physics, everything else is simple. Including tracking you through your debit card to that flea trap of a motel, and then following you here at a distance. What are you searching for?"

Penny pulled the crystal from her pocket and held it up so the light made it gleam. "That night I was walking around, upset. I ran into this woman who gave me tea and let me cry on her shoulder." Penny sighed and placed the crystal in his hand. "She gave me that when I left and told me that sometimes people get a second chance, but not in a way we expect it. I think I need to find her if I ever want to get back to my time."

"Penny, please come back home. We will find a way to fix this, I promise," he said softly.

Penny stared at him for several seconds. He looked so innocent and confident. Way too soon he would look weary and distrustful as he and Leonard grew more and more angry with each other. He would retreat from her because all his time would be spent with Amy. She would end up alone because there was no way she could ever date Leonard again.

She turned toward Sheldon and closed his fingers over the crystal. "I love you," she confessed softly. "You are…" she chose her words slowly and carefully, "the most caring, amazing, inspiring man I have ever met. You make everything exciting and fun and exasperating, and …alive. I have so many memories of you that I cherish each and every day."

Sheldon studied her closely, drinking in her words. Somehow he sensed that this was more than an explanation, or confession. It was an ending. The end of something he would never actually experience. Part of him screamed at him to stop her, to make her stop talking, to find a way to delay the words he knew were coming, forever if possible. The rest of him was too scared, too uncertain, to know what he should do.

"Sheldon, you have such a bright future ahead of you. You're going to do marvelous things." Penny released his hand and sniffled. "Her name is Amy Farrah Fowler. She's a neurobiologist. She is… perfect. There's a girl at the Cheesecake Factory named Bernadette. When she and Howard get together, she's going to make him so happy. He'll settle down and become sweet, and not-so-creepy. There's this doctor, too. Her name is Stephanie Barnett. She and Leonard were really good together until I accidentally scared him off her. Maybe, deep down, I was scared that if they kept seeing each other I would end up alone. Especially after you had asked me to stay away more. So, track her down. I think she works at Huntington Memorial, but I'm not really sure."

She stood and Sheldon jumped to his feet as well. "What are you going to do?" he asked in a frightened voice.

Penny smiled and stepped closer, her arms sliding around his waist. He twitched wildly for the first two seconds, but then shocked himself by sinking into the hug, wrapping his arms around her tightly.

"I don't know," she whispered. She pulled away and smiled up at him tearfully. A tear slipped down her cheek and she caressed his cheek. "Goodbye."

He watched until she walked up the sidewalk and turned onto Hamilton Avenue. After a few minutes he turned and walked to the bus stop at the end of the block. He slipped the crystal into his pocket once he was seated. When he got home he was faced with his three friends, looking at him worriedly.

"She's gone," he said simply.

"It won't be hard to find her," Howard said with confidence.

"No, it won't," Sheldon said. "Because we aren't going to." He looked at his friends with more confidence than he actually felt. "I'm hungry. I would like to go to the Cheesecake Factory."

Leonard, Howard and Raj looked at each other, and then him. "Are you crazy?!" Leonard asked. "Penny, the one person with proof of time travel, has left and you want cheesecake?! We have to find her!"

"No," Sheldon said calmly. "I want to get back to normal. Penny burst into our lives for five short days. Now that she is gone, it is time to return to normal."

Leonard started to protest again, but Raj grabbed his arm. "Remember what she said. Things for you and her were horrible. Maybe this is her way of trying to fix that."

Howard nodded in agreement after only a second's hesitation. Finally Leonard sighed. "Okay."

They all moved toward the door. "Why the Cheesecake Factory?" Howard asked.

"No reason," Sheldon said as they headed down the stairs.


	14. Chapter 14

Penny opened her mailbox and pulled out the mail, which was mostly flyers for Easter sales and bills. She grimaced when she saw the invitation to her neighbor Sherry's wedding. Sherry, who had chosen royal purple and sunflower yellow bridesmaid dresses. She shuddered and headed up the stairs to her apartment.

In the seven years she had lived in New York she had received countless invitations to weddings from co-workers, neighbors, and even one drag queen she met on the subway. So far she had been a bridesmaid twice, a maid of honor once and 'best man' at a lesbian wedding. Luckily, this time she was simply a guest. She hated how she looked in yellow.

She dug her keys out of her purse and unlocked the door to her small efficiency apartment. She tossed her keys into the bowl by the bookshelf and took off her shoes. As a personal assistant to a Broadway producer she spent a lot of time on her feet, and it was always a relief to kick off her heels each evening. It had taken her three years to get her degree, then two years of lowly temp jobs, but she had done it. She had made a life she was proud of. There were even times when she wasn't so lonely anymore. She started to walk toward the couch, but stopped when she saw an envelope on the floor by the door. She picked it up and looked it over. Her name was printed in block letters on the front. She opened it up curiously.

_Penny,_

_Please come to the small café at the end of your block. It is very important. _

_Love,_

_B_

Penny flipped the card over, but there was nothing else written there. "B," she mussed. "Who the hell is that?" She quickly listed everyone she knew with that initial as she slipped her shoes back on. Beth, Barry, Belinda, and Becky. Unless you couldn't count Becky since her name was really Rebecca. She grabbed her purse and headed out the door. It had to be Barry. He'd been promising to create a unique handbag just for her. That man was a genius with fashion. She opened the door to the café and looked toward her usual booth. Not spotting any of her friends she looked around curiously.

"Hello, Penny."

She froze and her eyes fluttered closed. She hadn't heard that voice in years. Slowly she turned and opened her eyes. Tears sprang to her eyes as she looked at Howard and Bernadette. "Oh my god," she whispered.

Howard smiled at her widely. "You didn't really think you could just disappear forever, did you?"

Bernadette tugged Penny to the small table she and Howard were occupying. "Okay, I know this is unexpected," Bernadette said gently. "There's a lot to tell you."

"A few weeks after you left, you showed back up," Howard said. "Well, the you that caught Kurt cheating showed up, anyway. It was a bit weird, to be honest. You didn't know us at all." Howard smiled at Bernadette lovingly. "So we made a pact, me, Raj, Leonard and Sheldon. We pretended we didn't know you either. Over time you became an important part of our group."

Bernadette nodded. "And then, you disappeared on Valentine's Night. The guys weren't very concerned which really freaked me and Amy out. So, when we wanted to call the cops, they sat us down and told us this really strange story."

Penny stared at them with stunned wonder. "You met the younger me? But why wouldn't you tell her you knew me…us…her already?"

"Because of you," Howard said. "If she didn't meet us, become our friend, and play out your future just like you had, you would have never gone back into the past. You would not have come into our lives weeks before we met you, and so many things would never have happened."

"Like me and Howie," Bernadette said tenderly.

Penny shook her head. "But I told Sheldon about you. And about Amy. I told him to find you guys."

Howard shook his head. "That would have negated you," he pointed out. "Penny, we love you. Even before we met you… the younger you, that is, you were already important to us. Don't you realize the effect you have on people? It only takes moments for you to worm your way into a person's heart."

Penny sniffled happily. "Really?"

"If you don't believe us, maybe you should ask someone else," Howard said, pointing out the window.

Penny looked where he was pointing and gasped when she saw Raj across the street, holding balloons bearing the message "I Miss You". She looked back at Bernadette and Howard and leaned across the table to hug them both tightly. She jumped up and rushed outside. She darted between the cars and taxis, ignoring the honking horns. Raj laughed when she flung her arms around his neck.

"I've missed you, too," he whispered into her hair.

Penny eased back and cupped his face in her hands. "I thought I would never see you guys again," she cried happily.

Raj handed her the balloons and shrugged. "No such chance. We may have had to wait until the right time, but we were never going to let you go. You're our friend. You're part of our family, Penny. And without you, we are not happy." Raj linked Penny's arm in his and they began to stroll down the street.

Penny leaned her head on his shoulder and smiled. "I love that you can talk to me now," she said. "You know, I've had no one to watch Sex and the City reruns with."

Raj laughed. "Me either. Penny, you should have warned us," he admonished. "You should have told us that losing you, even for just a few weeks, twice I might add, would hurt so badly."

She sighed and hugged his arm tight. "How do you think I've felt for the last seven years?"

He pulled her to a stop and looked at her with a fond smile. "If you have missed us, then maybe you won't mind a carriage ride through Central Park." He nodded to the left, drawing her attention to a waiting carriage.


	15. Chapter 15

**Many of you have demanded that Sheldon make an appearance, preferably in the carriage. I gleefully (because I'm sadistic and none of you can slap me) inform you that he is not, I repeat, NOT in the carriage.**

* * *

Penny hugged Raj once more before walking over to where Amy was waiting. She couldn't help the tears that poured down her cheeks. Amy smiled knowingly and quickly wrapped her arms around Penny.

"Hi, bestie."

Penny gave a surprised laugh. "Wow. It's been a long time since I heard that."

The driver walked over and helped the women into the carriage. They sat facing each other, giving Penny the opportunity to study Amy. Maybe her memory was playing tricks on her. Maybe it was the haze of years apart changing her memories. Whatever the reason, she didn't remember Amy looking so chic. The lavender blouse and black pencil skirt were flattering and made her look very cool. Her hair was wavy and trimmed to just beneath her shoulders.

"Amy, you look stunning!" she exclaimed, wiping away the tears.

Amy giggled and shrugged. "Love does that to a woman."

Penny swallowed the heartbreak that sprang up inside her. "That's wonderful, sweetie. I'm so glad you're happy."

Amy watched her shrewdly. "No, you aren't."

Penny looked down at her hands, unable to hide the pain in her eyes.

Amy reached over and took Penny's hands in hers. "His name is Faisal, and he's my fiancé."

Penny's eyes shot up to meet hers. "What?! But..! Wait! What about Sheldon?!"

The carriage pulled to a stop and Amy smiled. "I adore Sheldon. But he and I were never meant to be. It was never going to happen. When you disappeared the guys sat Bernadette and I down and told us the most fantastical tale. I thought Sheldon was having a breakdown at first. But all four men insisted it was true. That's when I realized why Sheldon had kept me at arm's length. He could not love me because he already loved you."

Penny shook her head. "But he can't! You two are perfect for each other!"

The driver turned and swept off his hat, revealing a familiar face. "Not really."

"Leonard?" Penny gasped.

He nodded and blew her a kiss. "You didn't think everyone would come get you and I wouldn't be part of it, did you?"

Penny looked from Leonard to Amy and back. "I don't understand."

Leonard hopped down from the driver's seat and reached up toward Penny. "Perfect is two people who fill in each other's holes. Perfect is two people who, even after seven years, still can't forget each other. Perfect is a man who allows your past to play out exactly how it should so he can fly to New York with his friends, _without being drugged, _just so he can stand in the center of Central Park and wait for you to come to him."

Leonard helped her step down out of the carriage. "I love you, Penny. I thought that if I tried really hard, I could make you happy. I could change the future by changing myself. But I was wrong. I did exactly what you said I would do. I suffocated you. I am so sorry," he said remorsefully. "You were never mine, and I am sorry I hurt you. Now, let me ask you something. Do you still love him?"

Penny met his eyes solemnly. "I never stopped," she admitted.

"Then it's time you stopped being a coward and became that big ol' 5 you are always claiming you are. Go get your man."

Penny's jaw dropped as she stared at him. Slowly she looked at Amy who nodded and smiled widely.

"Go on," Amy said gently.

Leonard hugged her tight. "He's waited seven years, Penny. Are you really going to make him wait longer?"

Penny drew back and struggled to find the words she wanted to say.

Leonard kissed her cheek and shook his head. "We know. Now, go tell him."

It only took her a beat of her heart to begin running. She flew down the path, her heart racing in her chest. She sped past joggers, and families, her eyes searching for him. She was almost to the lake when she finally saw him.

She slowed to a walk, studying him. His back was to her, but she would know that form anywhere. She struggled to even out her breathing as she approached slowly. She was just a few feet away when he turned to face her.


	16. Chapter 16

**You can all stop yelling at me now.**

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Penny's heart seemed to explode in her chest as he took those last couple of steps and swept her up in his arms. Penny gasped as he crushed her to his chest. Suddenly she couldn't breath at all as he captured her lips with his. Heat spread through her like a wildfire. Just when she was positive she was going to pass out from lack of air, he stopped kissing her.

"If you ever leave me again, I swear I will name our children after famous Vulcans," he warned her.

Penny could hardly speak as she stared up at him. "How?"

"Penny, Penny, Penny, did you really think you could simply exit my life or my mind?" He blushed lightly. "Or my heart?" He relaxed his hold on her just enough for her to breath freely. "You were never really alone. I have spent the last seven years keeping track of you. When you went to night school, I monitored your progress. When you struggled to make ends meet with temp jobs, Howard had to stop me from coming to get you. It was hard, Penny. I wanted to help you so desperately. But I dared not. How would I explain to there you that I needed to fly to New York to help here you?"

Penny shook her head with amazement. "You kept track of me? But I changed my last name. I got a new identity."

"Do you really think a new identity would be enough to fool me? Whether you are Penelope Queen or Penelope Taylor, you are still Penny."

"I don't understand," Penny said softly. "If you kept track of me, wanted to be with me, why did you date Amy? Why did you let me date Leonard?"

He smiled lovingly down at her, tucking her hair behind her ears. "It's like you said, Penny. You had a lot of memories that you cherished. I wanted to have those memories, too. So, we let life unfold the way it is supposed to."

Sheldon wrapped his arms around her waist and smiled. "But I never forgot that you were the one. You are the woman I love. I knew that we both had to make mistakes to become the people we are today. It hurt seeing you with Leonard. I know he had a hard time, too. He loves you. But he also loves me. He's my best friend. And now that you and he are through, maybe he can find Stephanie again. I think you were right about them being made for each other."

Penny stared up at him hopefully. "So now what happens?"

Sheldon pulled a chain from his pocket. A small crystal dangled from it, catching the midday sun brightly. He bent down and kissed her lightly before slipping the chain over her head. "Now we discover the future together."

She smiled softly. "I love you, Sheldon."

He held her tightly. "I love you, too."

At the end of the path stood their friends, watching happily as Sheldon kissed Penny again. Faisal kissed Amy's cheek, and looked at his new American friends fondly. Bernadette hugged Howard close. Raj and Leonard fist bumped before the group began walking toward Sheldon and Penny. The group had made a few mistakes along the way, but they had stuck it out. Sometimes life gives you a second chance. But you have to play your part if you want that happy ending.

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**A/N :** **Well, there you have it. My first ever attempt at time travel. I want to thank devilbk again for all his incredibly awesome hard work helping me with this story. Hopefully I surprised him a bit by expanding the last two chapters some to redeem Leonard and Amy more fully.**

**For the record, yes, there were two Pennys for seven years, one in Cali and one in NY. Once the Cali Penny disappeared, she began again the cycle for this story, leaving only the Penny in NY to live out the future. I thought about sending Penny back to the future, but felt that she could really use those years away from the group to find herself and be a success. Now she and Sheldon can move forward, together.**


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